.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=1140&h=&dpr=1.5)
Director Roland Emmerich is generally known for his widespread illustrations of catastrophe, ranging from his climate cataclysm in The Day After Tomorrow to his end of the world apocalyptic endeavor with 2012. No matter the direction, however, Emmerich knows how to bring excitement to the screen, and he looks have even more in store with Moonfall being his new disastrous focus.
The first character to appear in Lionsgate's Moonfall trailer is K.C. Houseman, played by Game of Thrones' John Bradley, who discovers the unsettling truth that the moon is out of orbit. However, despite his knowledge, Houseman will need help from other areas to see that the dilemma is handled, which puts him in the path of Brian Harper, played by Patrick Wilson. Harper expresses to Houseman that he and NASA aren't on speaking terms, possibly related to the footage shown within the opening scenes clips Liongate provided. The Moonfall trailer continues as the pair find Jo Fowler, played by Halle Berry. She discovers a cover-up and the realization that artificial intelligence has a hand in the massacre that is about to ensue. The three form a union to attack the black metallic-like figure with all the bells and whistles of what's sure to be a loud and explosive ride.
The Moonfall trailer is a spectacle, riddled with fast-paced moments and spine-tingling sequences that showcase the extremes of cataclysmic catastrophe. Gravity waves highlight the terror rooted within environmental chaos, while a gravitational pull from the moon's fading orbit slowly begins to shred the Earth apart. The consequences of an out-of-orbit moon seem to be dire, and it will be interesting to see what new and breathtaking concepts Emmerich can bring to the table in his portfolio of destruction with Moonfall. However, the most mysterious thing offered by the trailer would have to be artificial intelligence and the role it will ultimately play. The trailer hints that the government knew about its existence but acted in denial for an unclear purpose.
It will be easy to compare this film to the others Emmerich has in his catalog, but the director hopes to create a different atmosphere that audiences can gravitate towards wholeheartedly. Emmerich's wishes are evident in the Moonfall trailer as mayhem breaths equally on the ground and within the sky. It will be interesting to see how the disaster is explored from different varying levels, but will it be able to add an emotional component that goes beyond the attractiveness of CGI? The trailer doesn't offer much within that hemisphere, riddling off bombastic sequences of pandemonium without the critical family element many are accustomed to seeing. Berry's character does appear to have a connection with a young boy, who could theoretically be her son in the narrative.
Beyond that, there's not much to provide one with the sense that these characters are not only fighting for the Earth but also for their loved ones enduring the trauma's of the afflicted planet. Hiding such elements may be purposeful, but audiences won't fully know until Moonfall makes its arrival in theaters. The explosions are enjoyable and will get audiences through the door, but if it fails to tap into one's desire to see the character succeed, what purpose does it ultimately serve? The genre thrives off the spectacle, hiding within its core messages on human nature and the perseverance embedded within one's heart when things become critically dire.
Alongside its leading faces, the Emmerich film will star Michael Pena, Charlie Plummer, Kelly Yu, and Donald Sutherland. Moonfall looks to be the first big blockbuster film of 2022 since Morbius saw its release date pushed to April, which gives audiences something to sink their teeth into relatively soon.
Moonfall crashes into theaters February 4, 2022.
Source: Lionsgate/YouTube